Norwegian duo delivers a nordicana record filled with beautiful songs, expertly performed and arranged.
Fayen is a Norwegian duo based in Trondheim, situated in central Norway, on the south shore of the third-largest of Norway’s fjords, Trondheimsfjorden (the Trondheim Fjord). The duo consists of Anne-Grethe Nyhaug and Gøran Bogstrand. Originally from Fiskarstrand on the west coast of Norway, Nyhaug grew up listening to Hank Williams and Patsy Cline, with later influence coming from the likes of Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt. Bogstrand is from Melbu, on an archipelago in the northern part of Norway; inspired by musicians such as Dave Rawlings, Punch Brothers, and Aoife O’Donovan, he has played guitar in a wide range of bands across musical genres. In addition to writing the songs, Nyhaug sings, and Bogstrand contributes guitar and vocals.
Fayen slots neatly into the Norwegian “nordicana” scene, a mix of americana, folk, bluegrass and country music played by Norwegian musicians. Nordicana is a genre influenced by releases such as the 2000 film Oh Brother Where Art Thou (specifically its soundtrack), as some artists in Norway adopted and subsequently adapted the style of music featured in the film, adding their very own Nordic twist to it.
Something to Look Back On is Fayen’s second multi-song release; their debut release being From Here On Out (a five-track EP), which whetted appetites back in June 2021. Sometimes things take a while to come to fruition; recording sessions for Something to Look Back On concluded in August 2024.
Other musicians featured on the record are Tuva Halse (violin), Øyvind Smidt (violin and mandolin), Erlend Smalås (double bass), Bjørn Ola Ramfjord Johansen (pedal steel), Hans Martin Storrøsten (mandolin) and Bendik Lund Haanshus, who contributes guitar and cittern. Nyhaug and Bogstrand co-produced the record with Pål Brekkås at Brygga Studio in Trondheim. An interesting feature is the album cover artwork, which was created by linocut artist Anine Hansen, who works by carving images into linoleum blocks to produce relief prints.
Listening to the LP, the first thing you notice is Nyhaug’s amazing voice. She has a voice that you could never tire of listening to; beautiful, clear, haunting at times, delicate at others and sometimes powerful, but always expressive. At times, Nyhaug’s voice makes you think of Cara Dillon.
The album opener is the title track, which starts with Nyhaug singing the first line unaccompanied, before she is joined by acoustic guitar for the remainder of the first verse, following which other instruments join in, notably violin and mandolin. Brother, the first single release from the long player is next up, and again we have acoustic guitar accompanying Nyhaug’s voice for the first verse, “Brother, what you have done, It does not have to stay with you, You’re one of the good ones, This is the beginning of something new, We can make a sea change, me and you“. The song features a violin solo.
A song that you could imagine Alison Krauss and Union Station performing: I Don’t Know How Much of This is True is a highlight of the record, featuring the joint lead vocals of Nyhaug and Bogstrand; it’s a catchy tune. While Monument has more of a Celtic feel to it, with a more complex-sounding instrumentation, and violin, mandolin, and pedal steel prominent, it builds to a climax.
Another of the record’s highlights is Leave Your Island, which appears to be telling someone that the grass is not necessarily greener elsewhere, “You’re bailing out your rowboat, But the water’s rising still, You’re looking for a lantern, (It’s) sitting on your windowsill, Why would you leave your island, No wind will cool you down“. The song features a mandolin solo and the briefest of pedal steel solos, before an enjoyable sing-along “nah nah” section.
The set closes with Thank You, a song that manages to be sad and uplifting at the same time, the lyrics suggest that time is running out for a loved one, potentially a parent “Oh, give me courage, To say what I must say, Before a landslide washes it all away, I pray that there will be another day“, however fitting with the song’s title, the final lines are “The best thing I ever had is music and singing, So, thank you for giving me that in my upbringing“.
This is a very enjoyable record, from start to finish. The songs are well written, with good melodies and lyrics; the arrangements are spot-on; the singing and playing are exemplary; the production lets the music shine; the close-mic techniques employed on some of the vocals being particularly effective.
